Window-cleaning device.



No. 893,231. PATENTED JULY 14, 1908.

I. FLUEGELMAN.

WINDOW CLEANING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED PEB- 28,}908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 893,231. PATENTED JULY 14, 1908. I. IFLUEGELMAN.

WINDOW CLEANING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, 1908.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

thereby,

' ISIDOR FLUEGELMAN, OF NEW YORK, Y.

WINDOW-CLEANING DEVICE.

Application filed February 28, 1908. Serial No. 418,177.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 14, '1908.

[0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Isrnoa FLUEGELMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, borough of Manhattan, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Window-Cleaning Devices, ofwhich the following is a clear, full, and exact description.

This invention relates to a mechanical window-cleaner, the object being to provide a portable device which can be placed 11 on a window-sill, a portion of the device eing adapted to extend outwardly beyond the window, and the window cleaned by mani ulating the device from the inside, suita le means being employed to supply water to the washing element which forms part of the device.

To these and other ends which will hereinafter appear, my invention comdprises the novel features of improvement an combination and arrangement of parts which I will now proceed to describe and finally claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, wherein- Figure 1 illustrates a vertical sectional view of a portion of a window-frame showing my improved device applied thereto; Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the frame of my improved device and the slide carried the said slide being broken away to show the telescoping driving shaft, in this view the tower of the device having been broken away on a line a-a in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary end view, lookin from the right in Fig. 2, of the frame an slide, the tower carrying socket being shown in section and the driving spindle being shown in elevation; .Fig. 4 is an enlarged face view, looking from the left in Fig. 2, of the motor and pump carrying bracket which is carried by the frame; Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical central sectional view of a portion'of the tower, the spindle therein, the washing and drying elements, and the gears therefor; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged top lan sectional View, taken on a line bb in ig. 5, of the tower and nut which actuates the washing and drying elements longitudinally of the tower.

In the drawings the washing element comprises 'a swab 1, which may be made in any suitable manner, being herein shown as composed of agframe and disks of soft material,

such as felt, chamois or the like. The swab rotatably 1 is slidably mounted on a stub shaft 2, the inner end of which carries a bevel gear 3. The swab frame 4 travels on a feather 5, on the shaft 2; hence the rotation of the shaft 2 will revolve the swab 1.- The shaft 2 is sup orted by a bearing 5 which is carried by a s eeve 6. Between the sleeve 6 and swab frame 4, I interpose a spring 7 which acts to force the swab outwardly, or away from the sleeve 6, in order that the said swab will firmly contact the pane of the window, such as A for instance (see Fig. 1). The diameter of the swab 1 is sufficiently large to over-lap the slide 9 on the frame 10 (see Fig. 1). I prefer to shape the swab 1, as shown, in the form of a frustum of a cone, in order that the said swab will enter the corners at the juncture of the panes and frames therefor.

In order'to keep the swab 1 wet, I mount on the sleeve 6 a stand-pipe 11 (see Fig. 1), which is bent over, as shown, to deliver water to the pane and swab. To supply water,

I provide a flexible hose 12, which I have shown as wrapped around the tower or upright 13 for the urpose of getting a considerable length of ose to allow for the raising of the cleaning element to the height of the windows. The water is taken from a pail 14, which I preferably carry on a bracket 15 mounted onthe frame 10, by a pump 16 and forced through the hose 12 to the swab 1. The pum 16 is preferably 0 erated b a motor 17, w ich is also carrie by the racket 15, through the agency of an eccentric 18 (see Fig. 4). The motor circuit may be connected to an electric light or power circuit by plugging in. The swab 1 is also rotated by the motor 17, as I mount the said motor on a shaft 19, preferably tubular. The shaft 19 passes into the bore 20 of the slide 9 (see Fig. 2) and passes over a portion of a cooperating shaft 21. The shafts 20 and 21 are slidably connected and a feather 22, on the shaft 21, renders the said shafts rotatably connected. To the outer end of the shaft21 I secure a pinion 23, which meshes with a gear 24 on the spindle 25 (see Fig. 3). The spindle 25 is threaded, as at 26, throughout the greater part of its length and has in engagement therewith a' nut 27, the said nut being secured to the sleeve 6 as shown in Fig. 5. Adjacent to the nut 27 I dplace a pinion 28, the said inion being provi ed with a feather 29, whic 1 slidably engages a feather-way 30 in the spindle 25. The plinion 28 meshes with the gear 3 on or outward adjustment, I provide the mov the stub s aft 2 and with the gear 31 on the by means of the stub shaft 32., The stub shaft 32 carries a drying element 33. The drying element 33 is backed by a spring 34 for the purpose described for the swab 1. The said drying element can be built up in any desirable man ner, and from any suitable material. The shafts 2 and 32 are provided, at the outer ends thereof, with stops 8' for the purpose of preventing the springs 7 and 34 from forcing the cleaning elements 1 and 33 off their respective shafts. The purpose of the spindle is to rotate the cleaning elements 1 and 33 gears 3, 28 and 31 and also to move the said elements, by means of the nut 27, up or down on the pane While the said cleaning elements are rotating. To rotect as well as aid in the cleaning process? place the driving mechanism, for the cleaning ele- 'ments, in the tubular tower "or upright 13 which, at its lower end, is rotatably secured in position in a socket 36 by means of a pin 37 and an annular groove 38 on the tower 13 (see Fig. 3). The tower 13 is slotted, as at 39, (Fig. 6) to receive the reduced outwardly extending arms 40 of the nut 27, the sleeve 6 being loosely mounted on the tower 13. On the tower 13, adjacent to the socket 36, I place a hand-wheel 41 for the purpose of turning the tower around when I desire to cause the drying element '33 to impinge upon the window pane. It is obvious that the rotation of the motor will rotate the shafts 20, 21, spindle 25, gears 3, 28 and 31, and the cleaning elements 1 and 3-3. During the rotation of the spindle 25 the nut 27 will travel longitudinally of the tower, the slot 39 acting as a wrench to keep the said nut from turning, thethreads on the spindle being preferably of considerable pitch in order to cause the nut and sleeve attached thereto to travel quickly. The direction of the cleaning element can be controlled by a pole-changing switch 42 on the motor 17.

To adapt the device for )assagethrough a window-opening, I pref erably pivotally mount the socket 36 on the slide -9. As shown in Fig. 3, the socket36 is'provided with jaw members '44 pivoted to the slide 9, as at .45, the tower being held in an upright position by means of a wing-nut 46, which engages a stud 47' on the slide 9, which in turn passes into a slot 48 in the bracket 49 on the socket 36.

In order to move the frame 10 transversely of the window, I provide the same with ad justable rollers 50, which are slidably mounted on spindles 51 carried by the said slide 10,

the spindles 51 being provided with openings 51 which are designed toreceive a limiting pin 52 (see Fig.- 1). .The adjust-ability of the rollers 50 adapts the frame 10 for different sill sizes.

- To adapt the cleaningelement's for inward able slide 9, the purpose of the slide being to bring the cleaning elements up against the pane, also to move the tower inwardly to meet the pane of the lower sash, which is usually inside of the upper sash.

The operation of the device will now be explained.

To place the device in position, on a windew-sill, I first open the lower sash enough to pass the tower and cleaning elements thereon through the opening, having first caused the tower 13 to lie down, so to speak, b taking off the wing nut 46. After passing t ie tower through the opening, I set the frame 10 on the window sill and adjust the rollers 50 thereon to meet the said sill, as shown in Fig. 1. I then reach out and )ull the towerto the erect position, shown in *ig. 1 and set the wing nut 46 to hold the said tower. After having placed a pail of water 14 on the bracket 15, and after having placed the suction tube 53 in the water, I plug in the circuit of the motor 17, or turn, by hand, the shaft 20. When the motor operates, the cleaning elements 1 and 33 revolve. I manipulate the frame, or carriage 2O transversely of the window sill, and cause the swab 1, for instance, to travel up and down the pane A by means of the switch 42. This action will wash the window. To dry the window, I reach out and turn the tower 13 around by means of the wheel 41 so as to bring the drying elements 33 against the pane. l manipulate the device for drying the same as for washing. To clean the pane B, I allow the cleaning elements to travel downwardly and then pull the slide 9 inwardly until the swab 1 contacts the said pane. I then manipulate the device as described. The distance between the cleaning elements and the tower will be great enough to allow the said elements to contact a lower pane. When the carriage 10 is in position, on a'sill, the lower sash can be brought down to meet the top of the carriage, as shown in Fig. 1. 7 and 34 obviate the necessity of exerting any strength to keep the cleaning elements in contact with the panes. When drying a pane, the water supply can be cut oil by withdrawing the suction tube 53, from the pail 14. It will be understood that the tower 13 and spindle 25 therein will be long enough to accommodate both the upper and lower panes.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a window cleaning device, a carriage adapted for attachment to a window sill, a tower or upright carried thereby, rotatable washing and drying elements carried by said tower, means adapted to rotate saidwashing and drying elements, a pump on said carriage adapted to supply water to said washing ele- The springs ment, and means carried by said carria e adapted to actuate said pump and said was ing and drying elements simultaneously.

' 2. In a window cleaning device, a carriage, a pivotally mounted tower or upright carried thereby, a washing and a drying element slidably mounted on said-tower, means adapted to actuate said elements and means adapted to turn said tower to cause said washing and drying elements to change positions.

3. In a window-cleaning device, a tower, a rotatable threaded spindle within said tower, a gear actuated by said spindle, a rotatable washing element actuated by said gear, a rotatable drying element also actuated by said gear, and a non-rotatable nut mounted on said spindle adapted to engage said tower, said nut bein adapted to cause said washing and drying elements to move longitudinally of said spindle.

4'. In a window-cleaning device, a tower or upright, a non-rotatable slidable sleeve carried thereby, a spring pressed washing element carried by said sleeve, a spring ressed drying element, also carried by said s eeve, a

rotatable threadedspindle' adapted to causesaid sleeve to travel lon' itudinally of said tower, and. means adapte to cooperate with said spindle to actuate said washing and drying elements.

5. AwindoW-cleaning device, comprisin a tower, said tower being slotted substantially throu hout the length thereof, a rotatable threa ed spindle within said tower, a nut carried by said spindle havin va projection adapted to engage said slot, a s eeve, engaged by said projection, slidably mounted on said tower, a washing and a drying element rotatably mounted on said sleeve, and means adapted to rotate said elements and said spindle.

6. A window-cleaning device, comprising a carriage a motor carried'by said carriage, a pump carried by said carriage and adapted for operation by the shaft of said motor, a slide mounted on said carriage, a slotted tower carried by said slide, a rotatable threaded spindle within said tower operated by said motor, a nut carried by said spindle having a projection adapted to engage said slot, a sleeve, engaged b said projection, slidably mounted on said tower, a washing and a drying element rotatably mounted on said sleeve, means carried by said spindle adapted to rotate said washing element, and a hose adapted to convey water from said pump to said washing element.

'2. A window-cleaning device, comprising a tower, a non-rotatable slidable sleeve carried by said tower, means adapted to slide said sleeve longitudinally of said tower, a plurality of stub shafts carried by said sleeve, a washing element rotatably slidably mounted on one-of said stub shafts, a drying element rotatably slidably mounted on the other of said stub shafts, s rings adapted to force said elements outward y or away from said tower, and means adapted to rotate said Washing and drying elements.

8. A window-cleaning device, comprising a carriage a rotatable shaft carried by said carriage, said shaft being tubular at one end thereof, a slide mounted on said carriage, and adapted for movement longitudinally thereof, a rotatable shaft carried by said slide, one end of which is adapted to fit the tubular end of the shaft first named, means adapted to connect said shafts forrotation, a tower carried by said slide, rotatable washing and drying elements carried by said tower, means adapted to connect said elements with the shaft carried by said slide, and means adapted to rotate the shaft carried by said carriage.

9. A window-cleaning device, comprising a tower, a non-rotatable slidable sleeve carried by said tower, a washing and a drying element carried by said sleeve, a threadeds indle within said tower, and means carrie by said spindle adapted to rotate said washing and drying elements and to cause said sleeve to move longitudinally of said tower simultaneously.

Signed at New York, N. Y., this 24 day of February 1908.

ISIDOR FLUEGELMAN 'Witnesses:

MILDRED VIALLs, EDWARD A- JARVIS. 

